9 January 2026

Dear Parents

I hope you all had a truly wonderful Christmas break. There are certain times of year that arrive with a built-in sense of warmth and renewal, and Christmas is one of them - joyful, familiar and (usually) just the right amount of chaos.

One of the great pleasures of returning to school is catching up with pupils and hearing all about their Christmas adventures, the family traditions, the travels, the triumphs, and occasionally the surprising tales involving new pets, unexpected snow, or a bicycle that somehow didn’t survive Boxing Day. It’s been a delight listening to them, and it’s reminded me of something important- school isn’t just where learning happens - it’s where life is shared.

A Busy and Brilliant First Week

We have wasted no time, and it has been great to plunge straight into a busy week of teaching and learning in Junior School and Senior School. The energy this week has been tangible - a genuine sense of purpose, excitement, and readiness for what lies ahead. 

Oliver! - Rehearsals in Full Flow

The big news, of course, is that rehearsals and preparations for Oliver!, our Senior School production, continue in full swing. And I do mean full swing - there is singing, choreography, set design, lighting, costume work…...and a level of coordination that matches a west end production.

This promises to be an extra special show, and I want to strongly encourage everyone in our community to come along and watch. Performing Arts sits right at the centre of school life at Cranford - not as an ‘extra’, not as a ‘nice-to-have’, but as an essential part of what we believe education should be.

Around 100 pupils are involved across cast and crew, and what they are learning goes far beyond scripts and staging. They are learning how to collaborate, how to lead, how to be resilient, how to keep going when something doesn’t work, and how to perform with courage and confidence. These life skills are such an important part of the confidence earned through being part of a school production- every year we comment on how these skills have a way of showing up later - in the classroom, in exams, in interviews, and in life.

Mock Examinations - A Strong Start for Year 11 and 13

Elsewhere in school, Year 11 and Year 13 have made an excellent start to their mock examinations. We have all been deeply impressed by the maturity, focus, and dedication they have shown this week.

The start of the mock exam period is always challenging, and our pupils have approached it with the kind of seriousness that tells you they understand what matters - not perfection, but effort; not panic, but preparation; not fear, but determination.

I hope they enjoy a well-deserved rest this weekend. They have earned it. And I know they will return next week ready to finish strongly.

Our Values - and the Term Ahead

As we plan ahead to what promises to be an exciting Spring Term, I would like to return briefly to our values, in particular the centrality of happiness, generosity of spirit and developing resilience to school life at Cranford. These aren’t just words on posters. They are the character of our school. They shape the way we treat each other, how we respond to challenges, and how we build a community where pupils can thrive, academically, socially, and personally.

Thank you, as always, for your continued support. The Spring Term is full of promise, and this first week has already shown us what is possible when a school community moves forward together with energy, optimism, and purpose.

Please do take a look at our week in pictures. 

With warm wishes

James Raymond

Head